Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

• Right-wing parties deny statements of the Peoples Harmony Party MP Boris Tsilevitch about their aspirations to ‘freeze the naturalization process
• Prime Minister Indulis Emsis about implementation of the education reform
• Possible prohibitions for dual citizens to hold certain offices
• Saeima MPs and the head of the National Program for Latvian Language Training Aija Priedite discuss society integration and the Latvian language teaching issues
• Human rights experts comment on initiative to challenge the education reform at the Constitutional Court
• Chairman of the Russia State Councils Defense Committee Victor Zavarzin: NATO must help to solve problems of Russian-speakers in Latvia
• Interview with the deputy mayor of Liepaja Talivaldis Deklauss about implementation of the education reform in Liepaja
• Conference Regional Languages in the Contemporary Europe

Right-wing parties deny statements of the People’s Harmony Party (PHP) MP Boris Tsilevitch that some representatives of Latvian right-wing parties are trying to gain European structures’ support on ‘freezing’ the naturalization process in Latvia. Representatives of the New Era and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM stated they have no such information. Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks regards Boris Tsilevitch’s statement as a part of the election campaign.

Right-wing parties deny statements of the Peoples Harmony Party (PHP) MP Boris Tsilevitch that some representatives of Latvian right-wing parties are trying to gain European structures support on ‘freezing the naturalization process in Latvia. Representatives of the New Era and For Fatherland and Freedom/LNIM stated they have no such information. Special Tasks Minister for Society Integration Nils Muiznieks regards Boris Tsilevitchs statement as a part of the election campaign. Diena, Chas, Telegraf

Yesterday the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis once more confirmed that the education reform will not be cancelled, and stressed that by the education reform implementation the government hopes to prevent ethnic conflicts and disagreements.

Yesterday the Prime Minister Indulis Emsis once more confirmed that the education reform will not be cancelled, and stressed that by the education reform implementation the government hopes to prevent ethnic conflicts and disagreements. Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas

Saeima has returned to the commissions for review the draft law which stipulates the prohibition for dual citizens to hold certain offices, including the post of the Saeima deputy, minister, prosecutor, ambassador and judge of the Supreme Court, or chief of the state security institution.

Saeima has returned to the commissions for review the draft law which stipulates the prohibition for dual citizens to hold certain offices, including the post of the Saeima deputy, minister, prosecutor, ambassador and judge of the Supreme Court, or chief of the state security institution. Diena, Rigas Balss, Neatkariga Rita Avize, Chas

Latvijas Avize writes about the meeting of the representatives of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee and the head of the National Program for Latvian Language Training (NPLLT) Aija Priedite, during which society integration and the Latvian language teaching issues have been discussed. Aija Priedite, evaluating the Latvian language knowledge among minorities teachers, has stated that 80% of them know language ‘well or ‘very well, but others are encouraged to improve their knowledge. She has also said that the political protest actions against the education reform have negatively affected minorities students attitude towards the Latvian language teachers and the language itself.

Vesti Segodnya features opinions of the human rights experts on the step undertaken by the MPs from Peoples Harmony Party Boris Tsilevitch and Vitalijs Orlovs, who have challenged the education reform at the Constitutional Court. Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies Ilze Brands-Kehris believes that it will be difficult for the court to find a violation of the Constitution of Latvia or international covenants in the paragraph of the Law on Education, which stipulates implementation of the education reform, because the EU conventions do not define ratio of subjects to be taught in a specific language. Human rights expert Martins Mits believes that this particular action is more productive than ‘dialogue in the streets or disputes among politicians. The author of the article, journalist Abiks Elkins sees the court claim as nearly the last opportunity for Russian-speakers to achieve withdrawal of the education reform in a legitimate way.

Chairman of the Russia State Council’s Defense Committee Victor Zavarzin has stated that NATO must help to solve the problems of the Russian-speakers living in Latvia.

Chairman of the Russia State Councils Defense Committee Victor Zavarzin has stated that NATO must help to solve the problems of the Russian-speakers living in Latvia. Neatkariga Rita Avize

Vesti Segodnya features an interview with the deputy mayor of Liepaja Talivaldis Deklauss about implementation of the education reform in Liepaja. Talivaldis Deklauss names lack of the terminology dictionaries on specific subjects, and lack of compulsory for the bilingual education process sets of identical, Latvian-Russian textbooks.

Diena writes about the conference Regional Languages in the Contemporary Europe, organized by the Rezekne Higher Educational Institution (Latvia), Stockholm University (Sweden) and Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland). A resolution adopted during the conference calls the EU governments to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and to support maintenance of regional languages in the process of its implementation.